Improvement in steering-apparatus



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-QMLQ UN S. C. RICHARDS, ST.- I .OUIS, M'ISSOURI.v

Leners Patent No. 85,027, dated member 15, 1868.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the sama To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, S. C. RICHARDS, of the city oi' St. Louis, `in the county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Steering Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the ietters of reference marked thereon.

' The nature of myinvention is in the application of the surplus or exhaust steam, either-directly or inthe application of the power 'of surplus or exhaust steam, through proper force-pumping engines, to produce currents of steam acting, at the opposite ends and on differcnt sides of a vessel, upon the water without, to steer said vessel.

To enable those skilled herein to make and use my said apparatus, I will describe the same in its general construction and operation, Vreferring herein to- Figure l as a longitudinal sectional elevation;

Figure 2, as a top plan, with parts of the deck of' the vessel removed to show the piping.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional-elevation.

In the application of my said invention, the same will be foundbest adapted to the usual form of sternwheel steamboats with high-pressure engines, common upon the western rivers, although my said invention is in n owise limited to said class of vessels. I have, therefore, represented,by

A,.the hull of a stern-wheel steamboat.

B represents the boiler or battery of boilers; and

C, the usual force-pump, which may be the pump usually used for supplying the boilers A with water, or a common form of force-pump, -such as is used for extinguishing res on boats.

In the application of steam direct for steering, I use the pipes D, proceeding from the battery A, and run.

ning to the ends ofthe vessel having the end opcn. ings d d d2 d3. In said pipes D, I arrange the stop-cocks or valves d* near the boilers, so that the passage for steam may b'e shut o'if entirely, or opened from one or more boilers, at pleasure.

At d5, I arrange a further stop-cock or valve, and simillarly one at d6.

In order to bring the power derived from the impact of steam flowing out at the ends (l, d1, d2, and. d3, against the water surrounding thevessel properly to bear, the pilot orfengineer opens the valve or ,both valves d, and the valves 15,016 being closed.) The impact ofthe discharged steam-volume at the nozzles or openings-rl d3 will then act at a great leverage upon the body of the vessel, to turn the same in one direction.

Similarly, by closing the valve d'i and opening d5, the impact of the discharged steam acts at d" and d to turn the vessel in the reverse direction.

If but one valve, d", or one valve, d, be opened, the discharge at one opening, d or d, or d or d2, will still be suicient t'exert a great power in turning the vessel.

It is further well known that, in the use of the ordinary high-pressure eng ine, the steam is exhausted into the air.

My said improvement relates to the use of said exhaust steam for steering vessels, in the following manner:

B represents the usual steam-drum, (into which the exhaust steam is discharged after it leaves the cylinder,) The pipes connected therewith, as above described, and their valves, will enable the operator to apply the steam,

thus ordinarily wasted, for propulsion or Steerage, in the manner indicated. 4 l

It is moreover apparent that the steam, as discharged against the water through the nozzles (l, cl, di, and da, will be useful by its impact, but that a quick condensation of said steam'will take place, thus creating a partial vacuum, and to till this partial vacuum more exhaust steam will press forward, thereby aiding (instead of iinpeding) the exhaust action; but, furthermore, the water about the nozzle will also rush to fill the vacuum aforesaid, and a current-pressure thus arises against the sides of the vessel, aiding the Steerage.

The use of exhaust steam, therefore, is a peculiarly valuable feature of my said invention.

In vessels where the under deck is used for cabins, the pipe D may be used for heating such cabins, as it is -tilled with steam, and cau be easily audsuccessfully arranged to accomplish such object.

I am aware that vessels have been steered by the use of 'a current of waterforced through pipes from dierent points of a vessel, and impinging' against the water surrounding `\,the vessel, and vthus causing the 'vessel to be moved in the direction contrary to the direction 'of the current ofuwater.

I am also aware of the use of afcurrent of steam, smoke, and other products of combustion, impinging upon or against the water, for the purpose of propulsion,by a special construction of devices adapted to' such purpose.

I lay no claim to the use of such agents for such purpose, nor to the particular method by which suc-h agents have heretofore been applied, as my arrangement of devices and method of application vare believed to be entirely different from those heretofore used, it being-more simple in its application, and consequently more eicient, when applied in the manner and by the means I have devised.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the steam-cylinder or-drum B with pipes D, stop-valves d5 d3, end-nozzles d, d, d2, and d, when constructed and arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

S. C'. RICHARDS. Witnesses:

GEO. P. HERTHEL, Jr., Y M. RANDOLPH.. 

